Their Story
by Mediwitch1
Summary: This is Ron and Hermione's story, the moments we missed going from Goblet of Fire through to the 'nineteen years later' chapter! It ties in with the books - more explanation inside.
1. The Yule Ball

A/N: Hi everyone :)

I'm writing the story of Ron and Hermione – the missing moments from the books Harry wasn't there to tell us about! I'm thinking I'll do some slightly from Hermione's angle and some slightly from Ron's – this first chapter is Hermione. I'm starting with the Yule Ball so this has a bit of Hermione/Krum mixed in. It's cannon – and there's quite a large bit in here I've taken straight from Goblet of Fire, so sorry if it gets a bit dull, but I wanted to include that whole argument.

In this story I'm going to go from the Yule Ball through all the books, and I'm doing one chapter which will be somewhere between the end of Deathly Hallows and the _19 years later _chapter.

If anyone has comments, criticism or advice, please feel free to PM or review!

~Mediwitch

Disclaimer: everything you recognise belongs the amazing J.K Rowling.

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><p><strong>Chapter One: The Yule Ball<strong>

Hermione

Hermione Granger would have described herself as a realist.

While the other fourth year Gryffindor girls talked about boys, clothes, dates, make-up and the Yule Ball, Hermione spent her free time researching House Elf enslavement in the school library. It wasn't that she had no interest in romance - more that she had no interest in wasting away her life dreaming of things which would almost certainly never come true. Besides, she had more important things to be getting on with - like S.P.E.W.

Being best friends with Harry and Ron gave Hermione an insight into the minds of fourteen year old boys; and what she had seen was total inability to comprehend the opposite sex. She figured neither of them really knew what a girl was just yet; this was made clear to everyone by their attempts to get themselves dates for the Ball. Harry had a crush on Cho Chang, that was obvious, whereas Ron seemed to have warmed up to Fleur Delacour; the beautiful Beauxbatons champion who he remained adamant was part Veela. Hermione thought it was a little pitiful to watch him drooling over her every day knowing he had no chance with her – or she might have, had it not made her feel sick to her stomach.

Hermione had managed to put aside her ridiculous feelings, telling herself it was just a schoolgirl crush, because she honestly didn't know what to do with them yet. Whatever she felt, watching Ron gawking at other girls was never a barrel of laughs.

And so, when Viktor Krum had nervously approached her and asked her to be his date to the Yule Ball, she could not help but get just a little bit caught up in him.

Walking through the castle grounds with him asking her questions about her family, Hogwarts, her friends…she realised he actually _cared _about her answers! It was the first time a boy had ever seen her that way. Usually she was just Hermione – talented and clever, always with her head in a book, a know-it-all. She was the girl who trailed after Harry Potter and his friend Ron Weasley.

But Hermione quickly realised Viktor was not at all interested in Harry. He was interested in _her._

And then she knew what everyone meant when they went on about teen romance; she finally understood what it was all about. Because talking, laughing and dancing with Viktor…and kissing Viktor, had been some of the most magical experiences of her life. Their first kiss was under the beech tree, a brisk winter evening a few nights before the ball. Hermione had cast magical protection around them from the cold, and they had been huddled under the tree, watching the sails of the Durmstrang ship ripple in the wind. Hermione was telling him about her first signs of magic.

"It was when I was four," she was saying. "I really don't remember it, but my parents have told me about it. My mum and dad used to have one of those child proofing things on the stairs, and I really wanted to come down one night when I was supposed to be in bed. So I was trying to get past, and it just disappeared! They were really shocked – they must have thought they were going mad! They're…they're muggles, you know…" She looked up for his reaction. It was common knowledge that almost every Durmstrang student was pureblood. She'd never mentioned that she was muggleborn during any of their talks, but she guessed he knew – there was no 'Granger' wizarding family. Still, she was worried to say it outright. His expression however, was merely confused.

"Vot is the matter, Herm-own-ninny?" he frowned slightly.

She smiled slightly at his pronunciation of her name. "Well…I don't know if you would think…well, I'm muggleborn…" she trailed off, uncharacteristically stuck for words. Viktor seemed to have that effect on her.

His expression relaxed as he understood. "There is certain prejudice at my school," he admitted. "But I haff nothing against muggleborns…I like you very much," he smiled. "You are a very special person."

Hermione was amazed that his usually surly features could be brightened so much, just by her. All her.

_Special, _he had said.

And that was how she felt. As he turned her around in his arms and they leaned in towards each other, their lips brushing together nervously, Hermione forgot who she thought she was, and became someone new.

The ball was wonderful; she had been up there with him all night, living the dream. Every girl in the room was eyeing her with jealousy and distaste, and she could not have cared less. Nothing could've ruined that perfect night.

So she thought, until she later found Harry and Ron;

"It's hot isn't it?" she said happily, sitting down with them. "Viktor's just gone to get some drinks."

"_Viktor?" _Ron spat. "Hasn't he asked you to call him _Vicky _yet?"

She looked at him in surprise, trying to see what she might've done to offend him.

"What's up with you?"

"If you don't know," Ron replied, "I'm not going to tell you."

Hermione glanced at Harry for support but he merely shrugged.

She tried again; "Ron, what -"

"He's from Durmstrang!" Ron interrupted scathingly. "He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You – you're-" He was obviously casting around for words strong enough to describe Hermione's crime, "_fraternising with the enemy, _that's what you're doing!"

Hermione's mouth fell open. After a moment of stunned disbelief;

"Don't be so stupid! The _enemy! _Honestly – who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?"

Ron chose to ignore this, instead asking; "I s'pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?"

Hermione couldn't imagine why he should care about that. What did it matter to Ron where he had asked her? She suddenly felt uncomfortably hot. "Yes, he did," she replied, pink patches glowing brightly in her cheeks.

"What happened – trying to get him to join _spew _were you?"

She was angry now; why was what was happening between her and Viktor any of Ron's business? "No, I wasn't! If you _really _want to know, he – he said he'd been coming up to the library everyday to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!"

She flushed the colour of Parvati's robes – somehow saying all of this to Ron was deeply embarrassing. Harry was shifting uncomfortably in his seat, clearly determined not to partake in the argument. Hermione threw him an agitated look; it was clear Ron was being totally irrational! She glanced back at Ron and saw that his expression of rage had faltered slightly, and she wondered what she'd said to hurt his feelings. He quickly recovered, retorting nastily;

"Yeah, well – that's his story."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Obvious, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's student isn't he? He knows who you hang around with…he's just trying to get closer to Harry – get inside information on him – or get near enough to jinx him."

Hermione felt as though Ron had slapped her. _How dare he? _Viktor wasn't using her! He liked her…he thought she was special – that was what he'd said!

Even as she thought it, a small part of her realised it sounded ridiculous. An international Quidditch player thought she, Hermione Granger, was special? Of course he had _said _that…She mentally cursed herself for believing it, for letting her guard down. She was supposed to be a realist, and she'd let herself be taken in!

But she would not give in to Ron – she had to convince him he was wrong.

"For your information he hasn't ask me _one single thing_ about Harry, not one-" she said, her eyes flashing dangerously.

Ron quickly changed tack. "Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cosy little library sessions-"

"I'd _never _help him work out that egg!" Hermione said, outraged. "_Never. _How could you say something like that – I want Harry to win the Tournament. Harry knows that, don't you Harry?"

But Ron interrupted before Harry had a chance.

"You've got a funny way of showing it," he sneered.

"This whole tournament's supposed to know about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them! International magical co-operation!"

"No it isn't!" Ron shouted. "It's about winning!"

Hermione looked at him in disgust. Other heads had also turned in their direction; causing Harry to speak up for the first time.

"Ron," he said quietly. "I haven't got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum-"

Ron just ignored him.

"Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are," he said to Hermione scathingly.

"_Don't call him Vicky!" _Hermione jumped to her feet and stormed off across the dance floor, disappearing into the crowd.

She looked for Viktor's face in the mass of people, but all she could see was Ron's angry expression. People were staring at her as she passed, wondering what had happened. Suddenly she just wanted to hide away in her dormitory; Ron had spoilt everything. She pushed her way through the dancing couples to the doors, and ran headlong into Viktor. Their drinks spilled all over the entrance hall floor.

He looked startled to see her tearstained face and she took an urgent step backwards. He placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Vot is wrong, Herm-own-ninny?"

She took a deep breath and tried to smile, nodding slightly. "I had an argument with my friend…Ron? He's angry with me…that's all."

There was a small silence where Hermione decided Viktor didn't have much of a way with words. "Vould you like to dance?" he suggested, wiping her tears away with his thumb.

She looked up at his surly expression, giving him a twitchy smile. Of course he wasn't _using _her. He cared about her, she could see it. He had never asked her anything about the tournament! The only time he had mentioned Harry was to ask about the article that Skeeter woman had written about them in _The Prophet_. She couldn't pretend to understand what he liked about her, but there must be something. She nodded, and he put his arm round her shoulders, leading her back in.

But her heart was no longer in it. As Viktor tried to recreate the mood, Hermione couldn't keep Ron's voice from her mind. '_Yeah, well – that's his story… He's just trying to get closer to Harry…Trying to get him to join _spew _were you?'_

What had gotten into him? He was behaving as if he was_ jealous_…but that couldn't be true, surely? Ron had only asked her to the Ball when he couldn't get anyone else, he'd asked as a last resort! He couldn't really be sore that she'd had to say 'no'?

She eventually said goodbye to Viktor at the foot of the marble staircase and headed back to the common room, feeling utterly fed up, desiring nothing more than to hex Ron into oblivion.

"Fairy lights," she told the portrait miserably.

"Had a tough night, love?" the fat lady replied sympathetically. Hermione ignored her, and clambered through to the common room.

She collapsed into an armchair, looking a little bedraggled. Her hair was falling out of its elegant bun as the Sleakeasy's hair potion began to wear off, her makeup was smudged, and her feet were swollen. She had just taken off her shoes and begun massaging her aching feet when she caught sight of Ron coming in, his expression stony.

"Hey, Hermione!" he called to her. She watched him approach, groaning inwardly; he did not look as if he was here to apologise.

"What?" she asked wearily. "Look, if you want another fight I'm really not-"

He stopped in front of her. "I don't want a bloody argument! I want to know why you went to the ball with Viktor Krum!"

"Because he asked me!" she said shrilly, standing up. "Someone takes an interest in me for once and I'm supposed to say _no?_"

"He's _not_ the only one who takes an interest-" Ron cut himself off, looking slightly horrified.

Hermione was silenced for a moment. They avoided each other's gaze. "What?" she eventually asked.

"Well, I'm just saying," Ron spluttered. "I'm sure there are plenty of other people you could've gone with – like Harry, or-or me. You didn't have to go with someone from Durmstrang, you should've gone with someone from Hogwarts!"

"So I was just supposed to wait around for you or Harry to ask me? I really don't know what's gotten into you but you're being pathetic! You spoilt everything for me!"

Ron said nothing. He seemed to be undergoing a difficult internal struggle. Hermione felt exhausted and confused; she wanted very much to be alone. "I think I'm going to bed," she sighed, turning away from him.

Her foot was on the bottom step of the girls' staircase when Ron yelled after her: "What's he got – what's he got that other people haven't? You and him going together…it just wasn't right!"

Hermione spun around angrily. Harry was coming in through the portrait hole, but by now she had had enough, she was beyond embarrassment.

"Well, if you don't like it," she shouted, "you know what the solution is, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah?" he roared back. "What's that?"

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"

Ron looked thunderstruck. Satisfied, she turned on her heel and stormed up the staircase. Behind her she heard Ron splutter to Harry, "well – that just proves – completely missed the point-"

She allowed herself a little smile as she closed the door to her dormitory.

The next morning Hermione was sitting by a window in the common room, sucking on the end of her quill and trying to think how best to rephrase a poorly written sentence of her Potions essay. But with the second task well on the way and last night's argument with Ron still all too clear in her mind, she couldn't concentrate.

"_Next time ask me before someone else does…!"_

She winced at her own words. What if she had made a huge assumption? What if Ron really did just think Hermione was, 'fraternising with the enemy'?

"_He's not the only one who takes an interest-"_

At that moment Ron came down the staircase from the boys' dormitories looking bleary eyed and ruffling his hair. Hermione looked at him in surprise. It was seven o' clock in the morning; Ron wasn't usually to be seen until midday during the holidays. She saw he had dark circles under his eyes; he had obviously not slept well at all.

"Morning," he greeted her awkwardly.

"Good morning," she replied lightly. She turned back to her parchment when she felt her cheeks flush. He took a seat across from her and stared out of the window for want of something better to do. After a long stretch of silence, both spoke up at the same time.

"Look, Hermione, I'm-"

"Ron, I don't-"

He grinned sheepishly, and she nodded at him to go first. He cleared his throat and said;

"About how I acted last night…I was just…" he trailed off, confused. She watched him closely, waiting, her shoulders tensed. "I don't know what got into me," he admitted. "I'm sorry." It sounded to her as if every word was costing him the world. She sighed, trying to ignore the feeling of disappointment.

"That's okay," she smiled at him. She took a small breath and said; "Uh, I was just doing my essay for Snape – shall I check yours over for you?"

"Potions essay?" Ron raised an eyebrow, "Blimey, Hermione, it's the Christmas holidays! I've got another two weeks to do that."

Hermione chuckled softly and rolled her eyes at him.

"One day they'll get stuck there you know," Ron told her.

"What?" she asked, bewildered.

"That's what my Mum always says," Ron's ear tips coloured slightly. "If you roll your eyes too much, they'll get stuck."

Hermione gave a small laugh in spite of herself, and Ron grinned at her again. She took some fresh parchment out of her bag and titled it, telling him she would do the introduction and he would have to do the rest. Happily, he agreed, knowing all too well she would end up doing the entire thing. Everything was back to normal; despite how both felt a curious sensation in their stomachs whenever their hands brushed together under the table.

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><p><span>AN: Thanks for reading! Please review and tell me what you think :) The next chapter is to do with the second task...and Hermione being the one Krum would sorely miss :P


	2. The Lake

A/N: Thanks to my reviewers of the last chapter, and to everyone who listed me as a favourite/alerted me!

These are missing moments from the chapter _The Second Task _in Goblet of Fire, and obviously I don't own any of the bits you recognise. It's from Ron's perspective and is a bit more jokey. Also a bit fluffy towards the end, sorry, can't help myself…

Hope you like it :)

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: The Lake<strong>

Ron

Ron was having one of those private moments where he wondered whether his life would've been simpler if his best friend wasn't Harry Potter.

He heaved a sigh as he put aside yet another useless spell book, mentally cursing whoever had put Harry's name in that goblet. His optimism had long passed and he was sure the task simply couldn't be done. When he'd voiced this opinion aloud Hermione insisted there must be a way of doing it, but Ron thought she was slightly deluded and just couldn't accept that the library had failed them. He was glad for her persistence though, he and Harry probably would've given up hours ago without her.

But even Hermione had her limits.

"Oh, this is no use," she said, snapping _Weird Wizarding Dilemmas _shut. "Who on earth wants to make their nose hair grow into ringlets?"

"I wouldn't mind. Be a talking point, wouldn't it?"

Ron looked up at the sound of his brother's voice to see the twins emerging from behind some bookshelves.

"What're you two doing here?" Ron asked, perplexed. In his four years at Hogwarts he had never witnessed either Fred or George in the library.

"Looking for you," said George. "McGonagall wants you, Ron. And you, Hermione."

"Why?" asked Hermione, looking surprised.

"Dunno…she was looking a bit grim, though," said Fred.

"We're supposed to take you down to her office," George told them.

Ron turned to look at Harry anxiously, and he could tell they were thinking the same. Was this why McGonagall wanted to see them; were they in trouble for helping Harry so much with the tournament?

"We'll meet you back in the common room," Hermione told him. "Bring as many of these books as you can, OK?"

"Right," Harry replied, sounding uneasy.

Hermione gave him an encouraging smile before following Ron after Fred and George. Once outside the library, they exchanged a bewildered glance.

"What's this all about d'you reckon?" Ron whispered, hanging a pace or so behind Fred and George.

"No idea…" she replied nervously, glancing back to the library. "Let's just get it over with. Then we can get back to help Harry…if we search all night…there _must _be something…"

Even as she said it Ron could hear the defeat in her voice. He didn't know how to comfort her; if Hermione couldn't find an answer, who could? He swallowed. The task was hours away and they still had no clues – it looked like Harry was going to have to pull out of the tournament. _Maybe that's a good thing_, Ron thought, _safer…_

"Here we are chaps," Fred said merrily, coming up to McGonagall's office. He knocked smartly, calling out, "Oh, Minnie! We've brought you Hermione and Ron, just like you wanted!"

"Weasley!" she responded irritably, appearing in the doorway wearing a scowl.

"Time to go," George said quickly, giving them a final smirk before hurrying off down the corridor with his twin. McGonagall glared after them, but as soon as she caught sight of Ron and Hermione's faces her expression became more sombre. "Miss Granger, Mr Weasley…do come in."

As they stepped inside they found themselves in the company of not only Professor McGonagall, but also Dumbledore, Ludo Bagman and Percy's boss, Crouch. They were all talking in low voices to one another – but there were two girls there too; Cho Chang, and a younger girl with silver-blond hair and a beautiful face. Looking at her Ron took mind of a miniature Fleur Delacour, and grinned to himself.

"Have a seat," McGonagall said briskly. Hermione and Ron shared a look of bemusement at the strange assortment of people as she ushered them to two chintz armchairs alongside the girls.

He had been sure they were in trouble for helping Harry when he'd seen Bagman and Crouch, but now he couldn't understand why Cho and the little girl were here. He could feel Hermione's agitation as she checked her watch, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He was impatient for this meeting to be over; Harry must be going mental looking through those bloody books by himself…

At that moment, Dumbledore turned to them all. "You may have guessed that you are all here because you have a friend or relative competing in The Triwizard Tournament."

Out of the corner of his eye Ron saw Hermione's eyes widen with realisation. Sometimes he really wished he could make a window into her mind, he still had no idea what was happening.

"The champions have each been given a clue from the first task. Assuming that they have successfully understood the riddle, they will have surmised that something has been taken from them by the merpeople of the black lake, and that they must seek it out 'where their voices sound'. In the second task each of the champions must attempt to recover the one whom they would most 'sorely miss' from the merpeople in the lake, within the time of one hour."

Ron felt vaguely sick; the things the merpeople were taking from the champions were _people? _He was also confused. Before Dumbledore could go on, he spoke up;

"So if each champion has to rescue one person," he asked, "how come both Hermione and me are here, Sir?"

Dumbledore surveyed the two of them, his eyebrows slightly raised. Hermione was biting her lip, looking determinedly at the floor.

It was McGonagall who answered him. "You, Mr Weasley, are Potter's friend. Miss Granger is the one whom Viktor Krum would most sorely miss."

His mouth fell open and he spun in his seat to stare at Hermione incredulously. She refused to meet his gaze and continued studying her shoelaces, her face flushing scarlet.

And there it was again, that irrational anger.

He was suddenly considering ways in which to get his revenge on Viktor Krum. Fred and George could teach him that curse for boils…or better, hadn't he heard them discussing that spell for castration? Or maybe he could put a curse on the tosser's _broomstick_…yes…he could die of a tragic "accident" in his next Quidditch match…

No, maybe that was too much, a simple Ton-Tongue Toffee might do it…

But wait, why did he want revenge on Krum? So he was into Hermione - why did that matter to him so much?

"Now," Professor Dumbledore continued, his eyes darting between Hermione and Ron in faint amusement. "You will each be given a form of sleeping draught, and will remain unconscious until the time when your champion brings you back above water."

Ron gulped loudly, his attention diverted. He felt Hermione's anxious gaze on him and he understood why. They had never found a way for Harry to breathe underwater. He was having visions now of his emaciated body lying at the bottom of the lake…

"Rest assured," Dumbledore's voice interrupted his thoughts, "every precaution has been made and none of you are in any danger. Should your champion be unsuccessful in rescuing you, of course we have many highly trained wizards overseeing the task and we will ensure you are safe. The merpeople will watch over you while underwater, and before you know it you shall be back safe and dry within the walls of Hogwarts!"

No one spoke.

"Excellent! Wonderful, wonderful!" Ludo Bagman broke the silence, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "If no one has any immediate objections, we'll be off to fetch your potions and then we'll go on with the task!"

As soon as they were left alone with only Cho and Fleur's sister, Ron rounded on her.

"You're the one Krum would sorely miss?" he began in an angry whisper.

"Oh, Ron, don't start-" she pleaded.

"What is this? Krum's more important to you than Harry?"

"You want to talk about _Harry, _Ron_?" _she seethed, "You're not even thinking about Harry right now, are you? He's upstairs, he has no idea how he's going to get through the task and we're not there to help! And all _you_ can think about is yourself!"

Ron coloured considerably and began muttering under his breath, glancing around at the girls. Hermione went on;

"And that's ridiculous!" she spat, "This has nothing to do with Harry! I'm the one who _Viktor_ would sorely miss; it doesn't mean he's the one who _I_ would!"

Ron looked up slowly, meeting her gaze. He found himself desperate to know…

"So who is?" he asked her quietly.

Hermione was spared having to answer, because at that moment Bagman and Crouch wandered back into the room, followed by Dumbledore, who was deep in whispered conversation with McGonagall-

"He will be alright, Minerva," he raised his voice, silencing her.

Hermione nudged Ron, tilting her head in McGonagall's direction.

As Bagman began handing out their potions, they saw Moody approach McGonagall and murmur something in her ear. Whatever he'd said, it seemed to ease her concern. She wheeled about to look at him meaningfully, and he raised his eyebrows in return. Ron frowned in concentration. "But surely that is a direct violation of the rules, Alastor," he heard McGonagall mutter, eyeing Crouch warily from the corner of her eye.

Moody's magical eye swept the room, and winking briefly at Ron and Hermione with the other, he guided McGonagall through the door into the corridor outside. Hermione and Ron looked at each other.

'_Were they talking about Harry_?' she whispered.

"I dunno," he shrugged. "Who's the one you'd sorely miss?"

"Who's yours?" she shot back.

Both turned beetroot, and looked away from each other.

"Why do you care so much anyway?" she persisted, heating up. "Forget us; we need to be thinking about Harry right now!"

"Us?" he echoed. He felt an odd mix of awkward and pleased at her referring to them as one entity.

She shook her head, seeming dazed. After a few moments of silence, to Ron's slight annoyance, she changed the subject:

"I think Moody's given Harry some help. And Dumbledore knows...he wouldn't leave Harry to do this alone."

"You sure?" he asked her, focussed now, "…if I had to go out there in front of all those people, and I didn't know what I was doing…"

The corners of her mouth twitched. "I'm pretty sure," she told him.

"Well, then," Ron said, looking down at his sleeping draught. "I s'pose we'd better drink up…"

She sighed, "Yeah…"

She looked scared. Ron wanted to do something…to take her hand in his? No, he couldn't do that…Should he put his arm around her? He half reached out, but thought better of it.

Instead he raised the goblet to drink, and then hesitated.

"Hermione?"

She looked up.

"Just so you know…I think you're the one I'd sorely miss."

He didn't know quite what had made him say it, and to escape the embarrassing moment he gave her one last grin and drained his goblet. Seconds later his eyes drooped wearily and his head lolled as he fell into a very deep sleep.

A/N: Reviews pleeease 


	3. The Confidantes

_A/N: Hi everyone! _

_First of all, thank you to those of you who have reviewed! Much appreciated :) _

_I don't know if you guys will like this chapter so much, not much happens and Ron is not in it =/, so I'll try to get cracking on a better one soon haha. I always imagined Ginny and Hermione were quite close but we never saw much of their friendship - at least they must have had a conversation a bit like the one in this chapter, so got an urge to write it!_

_hope you enjoy, and please review :) Constructive criticism welcome - I actually would expect it from this rubbishy chapter...lol_

_~ Mediwitch_

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><p><strong>Chapter Three: The Confidantes<strong>

**Hermione**

Several weeks had passed since the second task, and for once Hermione was not worrying about Harry and how he was going to get through the tournament. They had time enough before the third task, and besides, Harry hadn't even been given instructions from the judges yet.

She had, however, been having a tough time recently. It was bad enough the way everyone was behaving about the fact that she was the person Viktor would miss the most; with Rita Skeeter's article on top of that she was having to endure teasing, whispers and stares everywhere she went. It made meeting with Viktor very difficult indeed.

She hadn't exactly gone to the library to _hide…_no, it was just that it was fairly empty that evening and she simply wanted some time to study in peace.

Except that, since she had finished all her homework for the next few days she was simply browsing; running her fingers over the spines of huge volumes, considering them. She was having trouble focussing. Lines of Skeeter's article kept running through her mind and she couldn't understand _how _she had known all those things…how had she known Viktor had invited her to visit him over the summer? How on earth had she heard him say he'd never felt this way about another girl?

She sighed, shaking her head and picking out the closest book to hand – it was the only way she'd be able to distract herself. She looked at the title; _The Ten Most Important Discoveries in Wizarding History…_well, that sounded promising…

Turning to find herself a table, she came face to face with Ginny Weasley.

"Oh!" she jumped slightly, taking a step back.

"Hi Hermione," Ginny smiled.

"Ginny! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that," Hermione reprimanded quietly.

"Sorry," she grinned.

"Are you alright?"

Ginny nodded, "Yeah, I'm great. You?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "Just, uh, looking for some light reading," she added, holding up her book.

She led them over to a nearby table, where they sat across from one another.

Looking more closely, Hermione noticed that Ginny looked very pleased about something_. _She couldn't stop smiling, and her eyes were sparkling.

"I just wondered how you were," she said. "All these rumours about you and Krum…"

Hermione looked at her, the corners of her mouth twitching. "You know, it's not all rumours."

"Well," Ginny grinned. "I expect Ron's really pleased about that!"

Hermione tilted her head, "how d'you mean?"

"Well, he's jealous," Ginny stated. "Not that he would ever admit that. He's being a git. I hope you haven't been taking any notice! You can go out with whoever you like!"

Hermione did not reply; her cheeks felt rather hot and so she opened her book and began skimming the contents.

"So," Ginny whispered. "What exactly _is _going on with you and Krum?"

Hermione looked up at her, eyebrows raised quizzically. "Since when have you been such a gossip?" she teased.

"Ah, c'mon, I'm not gonna tell anyone!"

Hermione chuckled, but didn't answer.

Ginny sighed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, fine. But listen," she leant forwards. "I wanted to tell you that I took your advice, about Harry. I've decided to let it go…and, well, I'm going out with someone else now!"

Hermione beamed. So this was what had her looking so happy! "Ginny, that's great!"

"Yeah! It's Michael Corner – you know, he's a Ravenclaw in your year? We got talking at the Ball, and went to Hogsmeade together last weekend…and, well…"

"You kissed?"

Ginny's face broke into a smile again, and she nodded excitedly.

Hermione closed her book; now they were conspirators. "So, how was it?"

"It was…" Ginny bit her lip, considering it. "It was nice," she finished lamely.

Hermione nodded knowingly. "Viktor and I have kissed," she confessed.

"I knew it!" Ginny exclaimed. Madam Pince and several serious looking sixth years turned around to hush them.

"Sorry," Hermione whispered to them, embarrassed.

"So," Ginny continued, unabashed. "How was it?"

Hermione sighed again, turning to look out of a window to their left. It was dusk, just early enough for the last of the day's light to touch the place where she and Viktor had first kissed, under the beech tree. She looked it for a moment, allowing the memory to fill her up.

The problem was just that - it didn't fill her up.

"It was nice," she echoed. "It just wasn't…there was…"

"Something missing?" Ginny supplied.

Hermione looked back at her, and some understanding passed between them. She nodded slowly, "yeah."

There was a pause.

"You never know," Ginny eventually said. "Maybe it'll all work out in the end."

Hermione frowned slightly, reopening her book. She guessed from her behaviour that Ginny knew she had feelings for Ron, and she did not particularly want to discuss it. Was Ginny suggesting that she and Ron would be together in the end? Or was she talking about herself and Harry, and hoping that they would end up together? She decided not to ask.

"But you're having a nice time with Krum?" Ginny broke into the silence again. "He's obviously really into you."

Hermione allowed herself a smile. "Yes," she replied earnestly. "He's really nothing like you'd expect – he's really nice, very gentle really…"

Ginny snorted at the word 'gentle'. "Oh, shut up," Hermione snapped, though she was grinning. "What about you – are you having a nice time with Michael?"

Ginny nodded, "yeah, really nice."

"Well, good."

"Yeah."

And to that, both girls sighed, perhaps each wishing for a day when a certain boy would no longer occupy their every thought.

They were certainly heading in the right direction though, Hermione thought; she with Viktor, and Ginny with Michael.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Just to be clear - in the last sentence I don't mean to imply Hermione thinks she will end up with Viktor and Ginny with Michael - just that they're moving on and having their own lives etc. Thanks for reading anyway! I heart reviewers :D_


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